Rock-a-Bye Baby
by Ellsweetella
Summary: And down come the baby, cradle and all. Castle, AU. One-shot. Warning: Major character death


**A/N: I was on the bus when I had this idea. I hope that you enjoyed it! Reviews are greatly appreciated. There are a lot of time skips so if you are confused, feel free to drop me a message! I will answer them.**

…**..**

_**Rock a bye baby on the treetop**_

The first time Richard Castle held Alexis in his arms, the world stopped moving.

He never knew that he was capable of such love. A love that brewed from deep within, that filled him with such a strong sense of protectiveness. He wanted to protect the little life in his hands, to keep her safe and sound, away from the monstrosity life would bring.

Looking down into the clear eyes of the baby, he knew right then, that he would love her until the very end, even when the skies turn grey, even when a storm tears through the roads, even when the ground crumble and the sky splits into two. He couldn't help but smile, a grin that coloured the sky.

She was his baby girl.

She was the best gift he would ever receive in his life.

"Hey Alexis, I am your father," he whispered, cradling the girl close to his heart.

"And I will protect you and I will love you. I will never let you fall."

….

Alexis held her breath, her heart thumping against her chest. Her fingers were tensed, pressing against the trigger, ready to shoot any moment. Her hair stuck to her forehead, and she resisted the temptation to push them back.

The air was heavy with tension and her lips would not stop twitching.

Any moment now.

She heard footsteps, getting louder and louder every second.

Soon.

She took in a deep breath, closed her eyes and fired.

The alarm resounded and she slowly peeled her eyes open.

"YES!" she yelled, pumping her fists into the air with great vigour. "Did you see that Daddy? I shot you!" She leapt into his arms, knocking his breath away.

He laughed, rumbling from his chest. "Yes you did, pumpkin."

She giggled, dropping the laser gun onto the floor as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck. "Where's my ice cream?" she asked, or rather, demanded with the most serious expression she could muster.

Richard Castle cleared his throat.

"Alexis Castle, what is the ultimate rule of laser tag?"

"Do not let you guard down," she automatically replied.

Oh.

Her eyes widened in fear and she squealed as her father shot her in the chest, the beeping sound filling the air.

"That's not fair," she pouted, tears brimming her blue eyes.

Now, _that's _not fair. What could he do with his little girl?

"Please Daddy? Please?" she pleaded, battering her eyes at her father.

She would be the death of him. He could picture the future already.

"Fine. First one to the fridge wins!" he gently put her down and made a dash to the refrigerator, laughing as he heard his daughter's laughter.

….

"I will not let you fall," he reassured her.

She scrutinized him, wrinkling her nose.

"I promise, pumpkin," he put his palm to his chest.

"And why should I believe you?" she frowned, "you were arrested for stealing a police horse. _Naked._"

Ouch. That hurt.

"I was worried."

"I'm sorry," he said, shame and guilt coloring his cheeks. He had let his nine-year-old daughter down. He had made her worried, a child worried for his safety. He was supposed to be the mature one, the one who was supposed to be worried, not his young child.

"Promise me you will never do it again," she looked at him sternly in the eyes.

"I promise I will never do it again," he promised solemnly.

She scrutinized him for a little while longer before deciding that his apology was satisfactory.

"Now, are you going to continue teaching me how to roller blade or what?"

Castle perked up at her words, a grin spreading through his once solemn face.

"May I have the honour?"

"Yes you may," she smiled, gripping onto her father's arm.

"I will not let you fall."

"I know Daddy. You will never let me fall."

…..

_**When the wind blows, the cradle will rock**_

She was burning up.

Sweat dotted her face, her pale face flushed. She was barely conscious, her breathing shallow and quick, gasping for air. She was shivering, trembling in his arms.

"Daddy," she muttered incoherently, her face pressed against his chest.

He clutched onto her, pressing a wet towel against her forehead.

He ran.

He ran to his car, placing Alexis down on the sit and sped off to the nearest hospital.

It was his fault. If only he went home sooner. If only he hadn't been out drinking at his book parties. If only he had cancelled his overseas book signings. If only he had realised that Alexis was sick sooner.

He should have known how stubborn she was. How she would try to carry the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders. How fiercely independent she was.

He cursed, frustrated with the slow moving traffic. Damn them all.

It seemed like hours before he managed to get Alexis to the doctor.

Seeing his daughter on the hospital bed, pale and sickly, it broke his heart.

106 degrees.

She could have _died _and it was his fault.

He had almost lost his baby.

"Daddy," she muttered, stirring from her sleep.

"Hey pumpkin," he smiled, brushing her red hair away from her face.

"Aren't you supposed to be at your party?" she managed to croak out, her throat dry. Her head was heavy and everything seemed to be so fuzzy.

"I came back." He held her hand, holding it against his cheek. Tears blurred his vision. Alexis had almost died. His baby had almost died.

Her life had almost slipped through his fingertips.

"I'm sorry daddy," she bit her lips, noticing the new wrinkles on her father's forehead and the tears in his clear blue eyes. She had worried him.

"Tell me next time alright? I am your father, I am supposed to be worried for you," his voice cracked.

"I promise daddy. You will be my hero. You will not let me fall."

"I will not let you fall."

…

They grew up so fast.

The last time he checked, Alexis was the thirteen-year-old preteen who blushed furiously as he tried to give her _the talk_. And now, she was falling in love, kissing boys and god knows what else.

Ew.

Castle shuddered, pushing the disturbing thought away from his mind.

His Alexis was still the sweet innocent girl.

"What were you like when you were 18?" he couldn't help but to ask Beckett.

"Do you really want to know?" she raised her eyebrows, sensing that his question had got to do with Alexis. As childish as Castle was, he was actually a really good father.

"Yes."

She smirked and her voice dropped, husky and low, "are you sure?"

He gulped.

"No," he managed to squeak under her intensive gaze.

"But Alexis-"

"You don't have to worry about Alexis. She's far more responsible and intelligent than you will ever be," she grinned, turning back to her papers.

"Trust her, Castle. That's what she needs now. She needs you to trust her to make her own decision, to let her grow up," Kate continued, knowing how worried Castle truly was about his daughter.

She had seen them together. Alexis was his life, the one who held him together. And Castle, Castle was the one Alexis depended on. It was rare to see such a close relationship they had. They were partners, father and daughter, best friends, far more closer than she and her father was when she was Alexis' age.

Castle had Alexis's back and Alexis had his.

Just like how Castle had her back and she had his.

She had spoken to the young woman a few times throughout the years. She knew how responsible and wise she was for her age but she knew that she needed someone to guide her, to advice her. Castle might not be the most serious person on Earth but when it came to his family, he was a whole new person.

He was protective, fierce and would do anything, anything for them.

…

Alexis was worried for her father. He wasn't a real cop but there he was, following Detective Beckett around, pretending he was one.

She believed that Kate would keep him safe but too many times had he almost died. He was her father. She could not stand the anxiety that came along with her father's decisions but she could see how happy he was with Detective Beckett.

Kate. She should call her Kate now.

She loved Kate, she really did. Kate was the mature adult she could go to for advice, without fail. Kate understood.

But Kate brought danger with her into their lives.

Alexis loved her father and it was hard to see him almost die, time and time again. She remembered her father promising her to never let her fall when she was younger. She remembered that and she lived her life knowing that her father would be always there for her. He would always protect her.

And he did. He saved her when she was kidnapped. He managed to save her, risking his life in the process. She knew how much her father loved her and she loved him so much. She wanted him to be happy.

Kate was right for him. She couldn't believe that she had just questioned that.

It was a slip of the tongue, something that she didn't even believe. She was frustrated, angry with her father. She wanted him to understand that she was an adult now. That it was her life and she needed him to trust her.

She wasn't his little girl anymore.

…

_**When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall**_

Alexis ran, her hair whipping across her face. Her lungs constricted and her muscles burned.

No.

No.

She had to run. _Run._

She turned her head as the footsteps behind her grew heavier and louder.

He was nearing her.

Run. Run Alexis, run. She screamed to herself mentally, urging herself to run forward, to ignore the fear that constricted her heart, to ignore her sore muscles.

"Don't run away from me." She heard his whispers echoing through the hallways.

No. No, please no.

She grabbed her phone from her pockets and sped dial her father.

Please, please pick up.

This was sick. It wasn't supposed to happen. Why her? Why her?

…

"Alexis. His next target is Alexis," Beckett whispered, fear creeping into her veins. The serial killer-Thomas Linas-had been killing girls, seemingly random girls but she now knew why.

They were girls who had previously rejected his advances. They had found his home and a list of names, names of girls who had rejected him. Out of these ten names, five had been crossed out, the five girls who were found dead on the streets.

The next name, the next name on the list.

Alexis.

Castle. She had to tell him now. She had to find Alexis, now.

It was her fault. If only she had realised it sooner. If only she had been sharper, smarter. If only she had-

No. There was no more time to waste. She had to find Alexis first and keep her safe. She had to protect her.

…..

"Daddy!"

"Alexis?"

"Oh god, daddy. Help," he heard his daughter quick breaths through his phone.

"Where are you? Alexis?" he urged, a sense of dread falling on him.

"The building next to-" she was cut off.

Fuck. His mind was in a mess and he could not think straight. Alexis was never this afraid before. He could practically hear the fear dripping off her voice, haunting him.

"Kate! Alexis-" he said in a rush as Kate burst into his room.

"Get in the car. Now. We know where Alexis is."

He followed her into the car, his eyes clouded and darkened.

Nothing could ever happen to his baby.

Nothing.

He would protect her.

He would never let her fall.

Never.

….

"Daddy," Alexis gasped, tears falling. She gripped onto the railing of the roof, her fingers slipping anytime soon.

She made the wrong decision of looking down, where the dead body of Thomas Linas lay miles and miles down.

She had finally remembered who he was. She was only in seventh grade when he confessed his "attraction" to her. She had rejected him and now, it seemed like he wanted revenge.

"Alexis!" she heard her father voice, loud and clear, reverberating through the air.

"Daddy!" she shouted as loud as she could. She was slipping. She could not hold on any longer. She can't-

Her father burst through the doors.

"Alexis!" He sprinted towards her, his hands stretched out.

Just a little bit more-

His fingers brushed against hers.

And she slipped.

"Daddy!"

That was the last thing he heard, other than the shouts that filled the air. His shouts. His cries.

Her life had slipped through his fingertips.

He had let her fall.

He had let her fall.

_**And down will come baby, cradle and all**_


End file.
